IACC Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Portfolio Analysis: Project Listing
Project Id Project Number Sub Project Number Funder Principal Investigator Project Title Project Description Fiscal Year Funding Category Subcategory Strategic Plan Objective Objective Status Code Arra Funded? Federal/Private Institution State/Country Project Status Web Link 1 Web Link 2 Web Link 3 Active Current Award Period
Project Id: 2072 5664 None Autism Speaks Benasich, April; Schafer, Valerie Assessing information processing and capacity for understanding language in non-verbal children with autism Individuals with autism who are non-verbal are not included in research studies and hence very little is known about their abilities. This project will utilize research strategies to directly assess the capacity for receptive language in non-verbal individuals with autism at a range of ages using EEG and information-processing tasks that they have previously developed for studying other developmental disability populations. These experiments will be, to the knowledge of the researchers, the first that are dedicated to assessing receptive language capabilities in a population of subjects that lack functional language output capabilities. $280,105.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; City University of New York New Jersey, New York Ongoing http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/grants/assessing-information-processing-and-capacity-understanding-language-non-verbal-child?destination=science%2Fgrant-search%2Fresults%2Fbenasich No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2624 Project number unavailable None Autism Science Foundation Burner, Karen Observational and electrophysiological assessments of temperament in infants at risk for autism spectrum disorders This project will examine multiple modal assessments of temperament, including parent report, observation measures, and electroencephalographic (EEG) frontal asymmetry (neural marker of temperament) as early risk markers for autism. The project will be assessing infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (high-risk infants) and infant siblings of children without ASD (low-risk infants) at 6 and 12 months of age in order to test if high-risk infants differ from low-risk infants on both parent, observation, and EEG measures of temperament. Temperament measures at 6 and 12 months will be examined in relation to ASD risk symptoms at 12 months. $30,000.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private University of Washington Washington New No URL available. No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2130 7279 None Autism Speaks Connolly, John Innovative assessment methods for autism: A proof of principle investigation of "nonverbal" autism Many individuals living with autism spectrum disorders are non-verbal; that is, they cannot functionally communicate with others using their voice. Despite this substantial fraction, we still know very little about these individuals, their abilities, and their needs. The investigators in this proposal will use cognitive event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded in a structured protocol to evaluate cognitive function in non-verbal individuals with autism, including individuals with autism who use alternate means of communication. These methods were originally developed for assessing brain-injured people who have received diagnoses of "vegetative state" and "locked-in" syndrome and are expected to provide a rigorous means of demonstrating speech comprehension at different levels of sophistication and related cognitive functions. $72,116.34 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private McMaster University Canada New http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/grants/innovative-assessment-methods-autism-proof-principle-investigation-nonverbal-autism?destination=science%2Fgrant-search%2Fresults%2Fconnolly No URL available. No URL available. not active na
Project Id: 2140 2514 None Autism Speaks Croen, Lisa Early biologic markers for autism Proteins of the maternal immune system during pregnancy may be able to affect the development of the fetal brain, as these proteins can cross the placenta and enter fetal tissues. Preliminary results have provided evidence that elevated levels of certain immune system proteins in the blood of pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of autism in their children. These researchers will extend their preliminary data by conducting a large controlled study on the association between levels of autoantibodies and cytokines in maternal blood samples during mid-pregnancy with the associated risks of autism and mental retardation in the offspring. 1200 mother-child pairs will be included in this study, as well as 200 siblings of autistic and mentally retarded children. These data will determine whether inappropriate activation of the immune system during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental problems. The results from this study should contribute to the understanding of the impact of the maternal environment on fetal development and its contribution to autism. It may also provide new, early tests for an increased risk of autism. $60,000.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private Kaiser Permanente Division of Research California Ongoing http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/research/initiatives/environmental_factors_grants.php No URL available. No URL available. not active na
Project Id: 2208 5K23MH081285-02 None National Institutes of Health Dichter, Gabriel Functional neuroimaging of psychopharmacologic intervention for autism This is a mentored Research Career Development Award to support the career development of clinical investigators in patient-oriented research. This study seeks to use measures of brain functioning to help understand how an effective intervention reduces symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The neural, symptomatic, and neuropsychological profiles of treatment response in autism will be examined concurrently. The project will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neurobiological links between neurocognitive processes mediating symptom expression and domain-specific symptom reductions induced by citalopram in high-functioning adults with autism. The findings of the study may lead to future research aimed at developing better interventions with the ultimate goal of reducing suffering for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. $155,901.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7609011&icde=6659328 No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2736 5P41RR013642-12 6016 National Institutes of Health Rojas, Donald Cerebral asymmetry and language in autism Preliminary evidence suggests that there is a reduction in the volume of the brain region planum temporale in both adults and children with autism. The planum temporale (PT) is an auditory processing brain region intimately associated with language processing in the left hemisphere in normal development. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers will measure the volume of the left hemisphere PT in 20 parents of children with autism, 20 age-matched adults with autism, and 20 adults with no personal or familial history of autism. Language function and family history of language development will also be assessed in the same three groups of adults and correlated to the MRI findings. The researchers hypothesize that reduction in PT volume will be present in the parents of children with autism. Such a finding would bolster the hypothesis that PT volume reduction represents a familial risk factor for language delay in autism. $6,798.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of California, Los Angeles California Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7955777&icde=6646804 No URL available. No URL available. not active na
Project Id: 2765 5P41RR013642-12 6021 National Institutes of Health Schultz, Robert Neuroimaging of autism spectrum disorders Neuroimaging research is beginning to characterize several important ways in which the brains of persons with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop and function differently. ASD is a heterogeneous disorder, with individual differences in severity of symptoms, various aspects of behavior and cognitive functioning. This project will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the brain anatomy and function. These measures will be correlated with differences in symptomatology and behavior in order to enhance the understanding of the brain-bases of the ASDs. This research is guided by the belief that understanding the fundamental mechanisms that cause ASDs will allow for the development of better interventions and treatments. $6,798.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of California, Los Angeles California Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7955782&icde=6667968 No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2788 5P41RR013642-12 6027 National Institutes of Health Siegel, Jeff Language and social communication in autism This grant supports magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional MRI to examine language and visual orienting in autism. $6,798.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of California, Los Angeles California Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7955788&icde=6662716 No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2263 5R01MH076189-04 None National Institutes of Health Fein, Deborah Language functioning in optimal outcome children with a history of autism Prognosis for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) receiving intensive early intervention has improved substantially. A minority of these children appear to reach what may be called "optimal outcome," in which cognitive and adaptive functioning are within normal limits, and they no longer meet criteria for any ASD. While these optimal outcome children regain many normal language functions, preliminary studies show that some language impairments persist. These preliminary results raise the question: what are the underlying neural mechanisms of the striking improvement of cognitive processes in these optimal outcome children? Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be used during tasks of syntax and face processing to address this question, and exploratory analysis of selected structural variables will be examined to see if the most successful intervention appears to operate on a structurally normal brain. $457,153.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of Connecticut Connecticut Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7623497&icde=6662763 No URL available. No URL available. not active na
Project Id: 2626 Project number unavailable None Autism Science Foundation Hannigen, Sarah Defining high and low risk expression of emotion in infants at risk for autism This study compares infants at high and low genetic risk for autism (based on whether or not they have an older sibling with autism) by investigating infants' visual attention to facial expressions, expression of emotion during face-to-face interaction, and the relationship between visual attention to facial expressions and qualities of infant-adult interaction at 6 and 11 months of age. Ultimately, patterns of high and low risk affective expression and perception in the first year of life will be identified by relating early affective behaviors to developmental outcomes at 2 and 3 years of age (i.e., autism spectrum diagnosis, language delays, global developmental delay). $30,000.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania New No URL available. No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2435 5P50MH081756-02 9001 National Institutes of Health Klin, Ami ACE Center: Administrative Core This grant provides support for an NIH Autism Center of Excellence (ACE). The Yale ACE addresses several key action items of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, including neuro-developmental markers and screening in infants, function-specific neural circuitry, and genetic causes. This subgrant supports the Administrative Core to facilitate the research projects that are part of the ACE. $147,818.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal Yale University Connecticut Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7808785&icde=6646008 No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2439 5P41RR013642-12 5988 National Institutes of Health Knaus, Tracey Language and social communication in autism The researchers plan to use cutting edge neuroimaging tools to examine whether subjects with autism exhibit differences in certain areas of the brain, including the lateral sulcus. $3,406.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of California, Los Angeles California Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7955749&icde=6662716 No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2862 121221 None Simons Foundation Krieger, Abba A study of autism The Simons Simplex Collection, a repository of data on 2,000 families affected by autism, is a rich source of information for epidemiologic studies. However, because the data are collected at numerous institutions using a variety of methods, detecting meaningful trends across the entire collection will require serious statistical firepower. Abba Krieger and his colleagues plan to undertake this task. The data (collected from children with autism, their parents, and unaffected siblings) include demographics, medical histories of the affected children and their families, and results of various social and intelligence tests. Krieger has assembled a team of statisticians, mathematicians, bioinformatics experts and other researchers to review the data for accuracy, standardize it, and organize it into forms that are useful for statistical analyses. The researchers propose to comb the data for relationships between autism and demographic and environmental variables, and explore associations between data from the affected children and their family members. The researchers also plan to look for 'clusters' of individuals with similar data, which might provide insight into the variety of disorders that make up the autism spectrum. $108,701.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Ongoing https://sfari.org/grants/cognition-behavior/-/asset_publisher/Qv9z/content/a-study-of-autism?redirect=%2Fgrants%2Fcognition-behavior No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2487 5P41RR013642-12 5869 National Institutes of Health Levitt, Jennifer Neuroimaging and symptom domains in autism Given the heterogeneous nature of autism, identification of homogeneous subgroups is essential to furthering the understanding of the biology underlying the behaviors associated with this disorder. The availability of noninvasive, non-radioactive neuroimaging techniques and sophisticated data analytic approaches used in combination with family genetic data holds the promise of greatly improving the ability to identify these subgroups. Using these tools, Affected Sibling Pairs selected from the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange multiplex families and a sample of non-autistic control children selected from an ongoing study of normal children at UCLA will be examined. The principal goal of the work proposed in this project is to identify meaningful endophenotypes in autism. These studies will provide the basis for genetic studies to delineate specific gene-brain-behavioral pathways and lay the foundation for early detection and better intervention in autism. $6,798.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of California, Los Angeles California Ongoing http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7955630&icde=6667957 No URL available. No URL available. not active na
Project Id: 2331 4742 None Autism Speaks Mohapatra, Leena Cognitive control and social engagement among younger siblings of children with autism This study is designed to examine the associations between early cognitive and attentional processes and socialization skills among preschool-aged younger siblings of children with autism. The neural mechanisms of attentional control are especially important to understand, as it appears that these skills can be changed through behavioral training. Working with siblings of autistic children, these experiments will test the hypothesis that the greater amount of cognitive control and attention exhibited by a child, the more self-regulatory and prosocial behaviors the child will exhibit when they are socially engaged. To measure attention and cognitive control (the effort it takes to inhibit a response), the predoctoral fellow will use electroencephalography/event-related potential (EEG/ERP) to measure brain activity in regions known to be involved in these processes. The children will also be tested for various behavioral aspects of social engagement in order to determine whether there is an association between these behaviors and the degree of cognitive and attention control. Understanding the relationship between attention control and social behaviors may help in our ability to improve interventions directed at these processes. $28,000.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Private University of Miami Florida Ongoing http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/grants/cognitive-control-and-social-engagement-among-younger-siblings-children-autism?destination=science%2Fgrant-search%2Fresults%2Fmohapatra No URL available. No URL available. active na
Project Id: 2622 1K01MH081191-01A2 None National Institutes of Health O'Hearn, Kirsten Development of ventral stream organization This is a mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award for research and training support. Object recognition is an essential function of the human visual system and is subserved by activation in the temporal lobe of the brain. People with autism sometimes display atypical object recognition and decreased temporal lobe activation compared to controls. Although object recognition skills usually improve into adulthood, preliminary data from these researchers show that the accuracy of face recognition does not change from childhood to adulthood in people with autism, indicating differing developmental processes. This study will: 1) examine the late developmental changes in object recognition skills in children and adolescents with and without autism, and 2) better characterize changes in brain function related to this behavioral development and how it differs in autism. Eye tracking will reveal whether people with autism use unique, possibly immature, strategies on many of these tasks. Neuroimaging studies will examine whether people with autism display an immature pattern of brain function or utilize a distinct network. These studies will help identify the neural bases for atypical face recognition in autistic adolescents, begin to delineate the range of deficits, and examine the developmental trajectory of these skills. $131,870.00 Biology N/A Question 2: Long-term Objective B Green dot: Objective has greater than or equal to the recommended funding. No Federal University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania New http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=7660720&icde=6637691 No URL available. No URL available. active na
This data file was dynamically generated.